Herman August Mueller (1943)

IRWIN, MUELLER, SAYRE, SCHOTT

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 9/19/2006 at 08:48:28

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, January 27, 1943
Page 1

HERMAN MUELLER DIED ON MONDAY

St. Charles Resident Was Outstanding Citizen of County

Herman A. Mueller of St. Charles, one of Madison county's most outstanding citizens over a long period of years, died at the Methodist hospital in Des Moines Monday after a fatal illness of 10 weeks. He was 76 years of age.

Mr. Mueller was a member of a pioneer Madison county family. He was a son of George and Catherine Schott Mueller, both of whom were natives of Germany. He was born Aug. 29, 1866, in a log cabin on what is now the Earnest Mueller farm in Jefferson township. He received his primary education at the Farris school in Union township, with one term each in primary schools in Winterset and Des Moines. After spending one term at Drake university in Des Moines, and attending the normal institutes held annually in Winterset for several years, he embarked upon a school teaching career. He taught at Douglas Center school and the Doak school in Jefferson township, attended a term at the Dexter Normal college, and returned to teaching at Jefferson No. 7 and again at the Doak school. In 1892 he entered Iowa State Teachers college at Cedar Falls, graduating in 1894 with his degree of B.Di., and in 1895 with the degree of M.Di. For the next two years he served as principal of the schools at Arcadia. He then entered the State University of Iowa at Iowa City as a junior student graduating in 1899 with a B.Ph. degree. He then taught in the high school at Webster City, resigning to become a candidate for Madison county auditor.

Mr. Mueller held many public offices in this county. As a young man he served as Jefferson township clerk and served as township assessor there. He was elected Madison county auditor in 1902 on the Republican ticket. He was reelected two years later, but resigned in 1905. After assisting in the county clerk's office for several months he went to St. Charles as bookkeeper in J. F. Johnston's bank. In the fall of 1905 he was made cashier of the bank, which position he held for many years. In recent years he had served as manager of the branch office in St. Charles of the Farmers and Merchants State bank of Winterset.

Throughout his life, much of Mr. Mueller's time was spent in community affairs. He organized the Madison county Farmer's Institute in 1903, and the Madison county Good Roads Association that same year. In 1904, he was one of the organizers of the Madison county Historical society, and when its organization was completed in 1905 he was elected president. From then until last spring, every year for 37 consecutive years he was elected president of the organization. At the meeting last spring, he was elected honorary president for life.

He was long active in the Madison county Old Settlers' association and the St. Charles Old Settlers' association. He was active in St. Charles town and school district affairs, and was prominent in the Methodist church there.

Mr. Mueller was married on June 30, 1909, to Cora Irwin of that community. They were the parents of two sons and one daughter. Mrs. Mueller died about two years ago.

He is survived by the three children, Dr. Byron Mueller of La Harpe, Ill., Mrs. Catherine Sayre of New Jersey and Herman Mueller, Jr., of Des Moines.

Funeral services were to be held at 2 p.m. this Wednesday from the St. Charles Methodist church, in charge of the Rev. Michael Millen. Burial was to be made in the St. Charles cemetery.
_________________________

Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, February 4th, 1943

HOLD SERVICES FOR H. MUELLER

St. Charles Citizen Died January 25 At Age of Seventy-six

Funeral services were conducted Wednesday of last week for Herman A. Mueller of St. Charles, 76-year old pioneer of Madison county, who died Monday, January 25, at the Des Moines hospital.

Reverend Michael Millen conducted the service at the St. Charles Methodist church and interment was made in the St. Charles cemetery.

Mr. Mueller had been ill for the past two and one-half months. His death ended a long career of serving the public, a job he continued to do right up to the time of his death. He was known and well-liked throughout Madison county and this section of Iowa. His early years were spent teaching, followed by a short tenure in public office as county auditor. He served one term, was re-elected and resigned shortly thereafter to enter the employment of the J.F. Johnston bank at St. Charles. He was cashier of the Johnston bank for many years, and more recently served as office manager in the same bank now operated by the Farmers and Merchants State bank of this city.

Mr. Mueller was probably one of the county's busiest citizens. He gave willingly of his time and finances to affairs affecting the community and the county in which he lived. His favorite organizations were the Madison County Historical Society and The Old Settler's association of St. Charles and Madison county. He served as president of the Historical society from the time of its organization in 1905, and this past year was honored when he was voted presidency for the remainder of his life.

Herman A. Mueller was born August 29, 1866, the son of George and Catherine Mueller. His birthplace was a cabin located where the Ernest Mueller farm now stand in Jefferson township. He was married June 30, 1909 to Cora Irwin. Two sons and one daughter were born to that union, all of whom survive. Mrs. Mueller preceded her husband in death.

The three children are: Dr. Byron Mueller, LaHarpe, Illinois, Mrs. Catherine Sayre of New Jersey, and Herman Mueller, Jr., of Des Moines.
_________________________

Annual Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science
Vol 51 1944, Vol 51
Pages 117-188

Herman A. Mueller
1866-1943

With the passing of Mr. Herman A. Mueller, Iowa lost a valuable citizen who had contributed much to the welfare of our state. Though an active business man, he found time for other and varied activities; one of these was his interest in plants and he contributed in various ways to a study of the local flora of his area; he also developed and directed interest in local history and was always active and helpful in civic affairs.

Mr. Mueller was born in Madison County, Iowa, in 1866. After graduating from the Iowa Teachers College, he was principal of the schools at Arcadia, Iowa for two years, then entered the State University of Iowa and received the bachelor's degree in 1899. He was Treasurer of his graduating class and during a part of the time he was matriculated at the University, served an undergraduate assistant to the late Professor Samuel Calvin.

In 1890 Mr. Mueller was elected Auditor of Madison County and held that office two terms. In 1905 he moved to St. Charles where he took up the banking business in which he continued until the time of his death. He and Cora Irwin were married in 1907, her death occurred in 1941 and his life ended two years later, Jan. 25, 1943. They are survived by two sons and one daughter.

Mr. Mueller was a Fellow of the Academy of Science, having been elected a member in 1895, and was the author of three papers on plant taxonomy that were published in the Proceedings: Trees and Shrubs of Hamilton County, 7:204-209, 1899; Shrubs and Trees of Madison County, 8:196-204, 1900; and A Preliminary List of the Flowering Plants of Madison County, 11:261-279, 1904. He was a Life Member of the Iowa State Historical Society; directing editor of a County Historical Society in 1904, serving as its President until the time of his death, and was the author of numerous articles relating to the history of the National Guard at Winterset, then Co. G, 51st Iowa Regiment.

Mr. Mueller contributed in many ways to the welfare of his community. He was Mayor of St. Charles for several years, served for some time on the Board of Education, was a member of the City Council, organized the first Farm Institute which later became the Farm Bureau. He was Past Master of Lodge No. 315, A.F. and A.M., Secretary of the Red Cross, Treasurer of the Boosters Club, and for nearly forty years was an officer in his church. Concerning him it was often remarked that he "liked people and was never too busy to help with any worthwhile civic enterprise." While he lived well beyond the traditional three score and ten, one who knew him well said, "He never seemed old."

Robert B. Wylie
State University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
_________________________

Coordinator's note: Middle name taken from his Social Security Application.

Gravesite
 

Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen